Lute



Oct. 29, 1935. J w HELTZEL 2,018,890

LUTE Filed May 19, 1931 A Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE 12 Claims.

My present invention in its broad aspect has referenceto improvements instraight-edges or lutes for removing the high spots and smoothing downconcrete or other plastic road surfaces.

It has been the practice heretofore to use a relatively long boardprovided with openings therein, to reduce the weight of the board. Sucha board is usually grasped at its ends and moved across the surface ofthe road to accomplish the purpose desired. However, a board of thischaracter is not only cumbersome to handle, but since the bottom surfaceor edge of the board is in contact with the wet or damp concrete and.the upper or top surface or edge of the board exposed to the rays of thesun, it is only a matter of time before the board becomes warped andtwisted and will no longer serve as a straightedge or lute. Not onlythat, but such a board is necessarily very heavy despite all efforts tolighten its weight.

Concrete roads of today have been developed to such a degree that anabsolutely level surface is required. The most satisfactory tool forworking. the plastic surface of a concrete road to make it level is alute provided with a handle, along the lines disclosed in my priorPatent #l,753,414, granted April 8, 1930. since most roads are at least18 feet or more in width, a lute, to be efficient, must have a handle ofat least 10 feet in length. Accordingly the tool or straight-edge at theend of the handle must be limited in weight, otherwise the lute isunwieldy. My present invention is not only an improvement upon pastmethods of working the surface of a plastic concrete road to level thesame, but is also an improvement upon my prior patent above identified.

My present invention, more particularly, contemplates the use of alaminated straight-edge, the lower section of which is formed ofrelatively soft wood as for instance, white pine although other fibrousmaterial and also probably some metal formation may be substituted. Thislower section is preferably provided with a vertical incision aboutthree fourths the depth of the section, in which is placed a steel coreplate, there being bolts or rivets to hold the core plate in place toform a laminated upper structure which will not warp, which is notappreciably heavier by reason of the steel core plate, and which forms avery desirable part for receiving attaching means for the handle.Furthermore, the handle of my lute is attached to the straight-edge atan angle of about 15 degrees, so that the steel core plate and woodenHowever,

lower section will remain substantially perpendicular when the oppositeend of the handle is grasped by the person manipulating the lute. Thisalso allows for the ready tipping of the straight-edge to moreeffectively level off the 5 surface of the road after the nature of atrowel, or as termed in they trade floating the surface.

Another object of the present invention is to overcome tendency of anall metal straight edge to warp when in use, especially in very hot 10weather owing to the cooling action of the concrete on the lower edge ofthe device which causes a shortening and consequent buckling of theupper portion of the straight edge,-this objection having been overcomeby the use of 15 reinforcing means in my novel device. I

Other objects of my invention will become apparent as this descriptionproceeds, but emphasis is laid upon its simplicity, the fact that newwooden sections may be substituted for worn 20 sections, or thestraight-edge of the wooden sections straightened when necessary, andthe whole assembly is exceedingly light. Manifestly, certain changes maybe made in the structure from time to time, and the right to make suchchanges is reserved, provided they fall within the scope of what isclaimed.

In the drawing wherein is illustrated'the preferred form of myinvention:- N

Fig. 1 'is a view of a section of a road-bed with my lute showninoperative relation thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lute.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking toward the rear ofthe straight-edge.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the lute.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view slightly enlarged to more clearly show thebrackets and the method of welding the handle tothe steel core.

In the drawing wherein like characters of reference are used todesignatelike or similar parts throughout the several views:-

The numeral l designates a relatively long handle which may be 10 feetor more in length and which is preferably formed of hollow tubing or thelike. The front end of the handle is welded as at 2 to a steel plate 3hereinafter called the end plate. A pair of angle irons 4 or bracketsrise from the ends of the end plate 3 to a point removed from the end ofthe handle where they are bolted by a bolt or rivet 5, thus forming a50' steel core plate 1. Referring now to the straightedge construction;I provide a lower portion 8 of soft wood, preferably white pine, whichmay have the following dimensions: width 1 inches; height 2 inches; andlength 10 feet. This wooden section is formed with a vertical incisionextending from the top to about the distance to the bottom edge thereofin which the steel core plate 1 is fitted to form a laminated structure,there being bolts or rivets 9 to complete the assembly of the core plateand Wood section. Since the wooden part 8 is laminated or reinforced bythe core plate it is impossible for it to warp or twist, and also anexceedingly light straight-edge is provided. Furthermore, the woodensection may be detached by merely removing the bolts or rivets 9. Itwill be noted that the upper edge of the steel core plate slants down asat IU: toward the ends thereof, so that the core plate has its greatestwidth at the point where the attaching means for the handle are securedto it. The end plate 3 also prevents warping of the straight edge 1 dueto the cooling of the lower edge thereof which is being worked in theconcrete while the upper of the straight edge I is very hot, as it willbe when used during the summer months when the weather is very warm.

Referring now to Fig. l, the usual plastic concrete road construction isshown at A, the form therefore being shown at B, and the upper surfacebeing designated C. My handle I is attached to the core plate at anangle of about 105 degrees as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, thus a person oroperator grasping the end of the handle is enabled to keep the lowerface of the straight-edge level with the surface of the road as shown inFig. 1. In operation, the lute is first drawn over the road surface withthe bottom surface of the straight-edge held level with the concrete sothat the high spots are cut away. This operation is carried out one ormore times, depending on the hardness of the concrete until the roadsurface is level, after which the end of the handle is either raised orlowered, depending on whether or not it is pushed or pulled by theoperator. It has been found that after the high spots are removed, thesurface is still fairly rough and it is necessary to trowel or float thesurface to make it smooth again. The operation of raising or loweringthe handle makes the forward edge of the lute tip slightly higher orlower, depending on whether the handle is raised or loweredrespectively, and this slight tipping will give a substantial trowelmgor floating action.

It is believed from the foregoing that the construction and operation ofmy invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art, but it is againpointed out that, the present form of lute atta ns in a simple andeffective structural organ zation the many desirable and. necessaryqualities for working a plastic concrete road surface of at least 18feet or more in width to a level. Wh1le a specific construction has beendescribed, in the foregoing it is again emphasized that certain detailsmay be changed and accordingly the scope of the present invention is tobe determined only by referring to the claims.

I claim:

1. A lute for smoothing road surfaces, comprising a wood straight-edgeformed with a longitudinal incision therein, a steel core platereceivable in the incision and rising above the straight-edge, a handle,a plate connected to the handle, at an angle of. substantially 105degrees to the axis of the handle and said plate connected to the coreplate.

2. A lute for smoothing road surfaces, comprising a wood straight-edgeformed with a longitudinal incision therein, a steel core plate re- 5ceivable in the incision and rising above the straight-edge, a handle, aplate secured to the end of the handle, a pair of bracket membersconnected with the handle at their upper ends, and means extendingthrough the remaining ends of the brackets and through the ends of theplate and through the core plate for attaching the handle to the coreplate.

3. A lute for smoothing road surfaces, comprising a wood straight-edgeformed with a longitudinal incision therein, a steel core platereceivable in the incision and rising above the straight-edge, a handle,a plate secured to the end of the handle at an angle of substantially105 degrees with respect to the axis of the handle, 2 bracketing membersconnected to either side of the handle at a common point on the handle,and means extending through the other ends of the bracketing members andthrough the plate and core plate for connecting the handle to the coreplate.

4. A lute for smoothening road surfaces, comprising a head portionformed in sections, each section being formed of a different material,one section being cut away at its top to provide a groove, the groovehaving its bottom closed and being adapted to receive the other sectionin fitted assembly, said first mentioned head portion section providingthe bottom of a composite straight edge and the second sectionprojecting above said groove and providing the top of said compositestraight edge, and a handle carried by said sec-- ond mentioned section.

5. A combined straight edge and lute for testing and smoothening roadsurfaces and compris- 4o ing an elongated head whose height considerablyexceeds its thickness, an elongated handle secured to one side of thehead at an angle approximating 105 degrees with the head whereby theoperator working from adjacent the outer end of the handle at one sideof the roadway may conveniently dispose the head substantiallyperpendicular to the road surface and also at slight angles to bothsides of the perpendicular, said head comprising a plate, a rail-likeroad surface-engaging shoe member substantially coextensive in lengthwith said plate and having opening from its upper surface a seatingrecess receiving the lower portion of said plate, and said plate-seatingrecess of said shoe member pro- 5 viding opposed walls embracingopposite sides of said plate whereby to protect the plate againstwarping as result of its lower edge contacting wet cool concrete or likewhile upper part of plate is hot.

6. A combined straight edge and lute for testing and smoothening roadsurfaces and comprising an elongated head whose height considerablyexceeds its thickness, an elongated handle secured to one side of thehead at an angle whereby the operator working from adjacent the outerend of the handle at one side of the roadway may conveniently disposethe head substantially perpendicular to the road surface and also atslight angles to both sides of the perpendicular, 7 said head comprisinga plate, a rail-like road surface-engaging shoe member substantiallycoextensive in length with said plate and having opening from its uppersurface a seating recess receiving the lower portion of said plate, andsaid W plate-seating recess of said shoe member providing opposed wallsembracing opposite sides of said plate whereby to protect the plateagainst warping as result of its lower edge contacting wet cool concreteor like while upper part of plate is hot.

7. A combined straight edge and lute for testing and smoothening roadsurfaces and comprising an elongated head whose height considerablyexceeds its thickness, an elongated handle secured to one side of thehead at an angle whereby the operator working from adjacent the outerend of the handle at one side of the roadway may conveniently disposethe head substantially perpendicular to' the road surface and also atslight angles to both sides of the perpendicular, said head comprising aplate, a rail-like road surface-engaging shoe member, substantiallycoextensive in length with said plate and having opening from its uppersurface a seating recess receiving the lower portion of said plate to adepth equal to at least half the height of said rail, and saidplate-seating recess of said shoe member providing opposed wallsembracing opposite sides of said plate whereby to protect the plateagainst warping as result of lower edge contacting wet cool concrete orlike while upper part of plate is hot.

8. A combined straight edge and lute for testing and smoothening roadsurfaces and comprising an elongated head whose height considerablyexceeds its thickness, an elongated handle secured to one side of thehead at an angle whereby the operator working from adjacent the outerend of the handle at one side of the roadway may conveniently disposethe head substantially perpendicular to the road surface and also atslight angles to both sides of the perpendicular, said head comprising aplate, a rail-like road surfaceengaging shoe member substantiallycoextensive in length with said plate and having opening from its uppersurface a seating recess receiving the lower portion of said plate to adepth equal to at least half the height of said rail, said plateseatingrecess of said shoe member providing opposed walls embracing oppositesides of said plate whereby to protect the plate against warping asresult of lower edge contacting wet cool concrete or like while upperpart of plate is hot, and securing means for said plate carried by saidplate embracing Walls of the shoe.

9. A combined straight edge and lute for testing and smoothening roadsurfaces and comprising an elongated head whose height considerablyexceeds its thickness, an operating handle secured to one side of thehead for maintaining one longitudinal head edge in a predeterminedworking engagement with the road surface, said head comprising a metalplate, a wooden raillike shoe member substantially coextensive in lengthwith said plate, said shoe member having opening from its upper surfacea seating recess receiving the lower portion of'said plate and 5extending substantially throughout the length of same, the bottom ofsaid rail-like shoe member providing an unbroken road engaging straightedge portion for said head, said plate-seating recess of said rail-likeshoe member providing sub- 1() stantially coextensive opposed wallsembracing opposite sides of said plate whereby to laminatinglystrengthen and reinforce the lower working portion of said head, andsaid shoe and its plate-embracing walls serving to protect the lowerportion of the plate from contact with and insulate it from the wet coolconcrete of the road surface so as to prevent said plate from warping.

10. A combined straight edge and lute for smoothening and checkingplastic road surfaces comprising an elongated, narrow upstandingplate-like head, said head comprising a metal core plate and acoextensive rail-like wooden shoe, said shoe having a top groovereceiving said core plate to a depth equal to at least one-half theheight of said shoe, said groove terminating short of the bottom of theshoe whereby the latter provides an unbroken road surface-engagingstraight edge and lute portion laminatingly reinforced from above bysaid core plate, and a handle secured to said head.

11. A lute for smoothening road surfaces, comprising a head portionformed in sections, each section being formed of a different material,one section being cut away at its top to provide a groove, the groovehaving its bottom closed and being adapted to receive the other section,said first-mentioned head portion section providing the bottom of acomposite straight edge and the second section projecting above saidgroove and ,0 providing the top of said composite straight edge, and ahandle carried by said head portion.

12. A combined lute and straight edge comprising a plate-like headhaving a narrow edge disposed toward the road surface, said headconsisting of upper and lower sections, the lower section being widerthan the upper section and having a longitudinal groove in its topsurface of a depth approximating one-half the height of said lowersection, and the upper section fit- 5 ting into said groove as a tenon,said sections being of warpable material and the lower sectionbeing'prevented from warping by the action of the upper section inassembly therewith, and the upper section being prevented from warpingby reason of the insulation of the same from the cold wet road by thelower section.

JOSEPH WILLIAM HELTZEL.

